Skyways (TV series)
Skyways is an Australian television drama soap opera series made by Crawford Productions for the Seven Network.
| Skyways | |
|---|---|
 Tony Bonner as Paul MacFarlane and Bill Stalker as Peter Fanelli in Skyways | |
| Genre | Drama Soap opera |
| Created by | Terry Stapleton Jock Blair |
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 188 |
| Production | |
| Production company(s) | Crawford Productions |
| Release | |
| Original network | Seven Network |
| Original release | 9 July 1979 – 27 July 1981 |
Production and casting
The series, which aired from 1979 to 1981, was set at the fictional Pacific International Airport and dealt with the lives of the pilots, airline staff and management team who worked there.
Skyways was mainly taped in a television studio where, in many interior-set scenes, Colour Separation Overlay created the illusion of a bustling airport with taxiing planes outside the window. Many of the exterior scenes were shot on location at Melbourne Airport.
The show's regular cast members included Tony Bonner as airport manager Paul MacFarlane, later replaced by Gary Doolan (Gerard Kennedy). Tina Bursill played glamorous and ruthless assistant manager Louise Carter. Bill Stalker, played head of airport security Peter Fanelli, an ex-detective. When Skyways ended Fanelli was moved to Crawford police procedural Cop Shop, while Brian James' character George Tippett was transplanted to Holiday Island.
Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan roles
Years before Neighbours and international pop stardom, Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan appeared together in one episode as siblings.
Storylines
An early storyline featured a lesbian flight attendant (Judy Morris) unsuccessfully attempting to seduce a colleague (Deborah Coulls) who revealed she was heterosexual. Morris' character was soon afterwards stabbed to death in the shower as part of a murder-mystery storyline.
International broadcast
The series screened across Europe during the mid-1980s on Sky Channel which would later become Sky One. It also aired in the UK on Astra Satellite channel Lifestyle during 1990 at 1.00 p.m Monday to Friday.
Cast
- Tony Bonner – Paul MacFarlane
- Tina Bursill – Louise Carter
- Ken James – Simon Young
- Bruce Barry – Douglas Stewart
- Bill Stalker – Peter Fanelli
- Brian James – George Tippett
- Joanne Samuel – Kelly Morgan
- Deborah Coulls – Jacki Soong
- Kris McQuade – Faye Peterson
- Bartholomew John – Nick Grainger
- Judy Morris – Robyn Morris
- Andrew McKaige – Alan MacFarlane
- Gaynor Martin – Mandy MacFarlane
- Gerard Kennedy – Gary Doolan
- Kerry Armstrong – Angela Murray
- Maurie Fields – Chas Potter
- Kylie Foster – Belinda Phipps
- Charles Tingwell – Harold Forbes
- Ron Falk – Derek Powell
- Cecily Polson – Jocelyn Powell
- Carmen Duncan – Elaine MacFarlane
- Anne Charleston – Wendy Stewart
- Belinda Giblin – Christine Burrows
- Fred Parslow – David Rankin
- Irene Inescort – Mrs. Young
- John Walton – Bryan Johnson
- Susanna Lobez – Janet Patterson
- Kit Taylor – Tim Barclay
- Dina Mann – Fiona Woods
- Jeff Kevin – Geoff Goodwin
- Michael Duffield – Sir Joseph Miles
- Penelope Stewart – Barbie Beach